Dwight Howard's distaste for the offense and approach of coach Mike D'Antoni is widely cited as the biggest trigger in his decision to leave the Los Angeles Lakers. But another key factor that led the All-Star center to the Houston Rockets was the Lakers' refusal to establish a clear timetable for moving on from the Kobe Bryant era, according to sources with knowledge of Howard's thinking.

Sources told ESPN.com that Howard and his representatives, in a handful of meetings with Lakers officials before he became a free agent July 1, strongly suggested that the center would have a difficult time re-signing with Los Angeles if Bryant stayed with the franchise beyond the 2013-14 season, the final year of his current contract.

I wish these athletes would just man up and say why they didn't sign in LA. Dwight so far has said that it was just about winning titles and being happy in Houston. Denied it being D'Antoni, then a couple days later says he would have stayed if Phil Jackson was coach. Denied it was Kobe, now people close to him say it was also about Kobe.

So this guy wants talent, but only up to a slightly lower level than him? And only if he's provided unconditional love and all the glory? I swear, Dwight couldn't be satisfied if an entire country put themselves at his beck and call. Harden is going to have the proverbial "torch" in Houston for the next 8-10 years.

What a dumbass. Kobe would help him win multiple championships and can still be a top shooting guard in the NBA past next season. The two could have worked together. Why would he want the best player on the team to leave the team?

anyone who agrees with howard is a dumbass and doesn't deserve to be a laker fan. it's that absurd. Dwight thinks he can walk into LA and take Kobe's team without putting in the work and not being able to out play kobe and becoming a leader? GTFO. You gotta earn yo food boy.

My issue is that he expects everything to be handed to him. He's too worried about people liking him that he refuses to take what he wants.

For someone that was here one season, he sure expected a lot of things to go his way and to be honest, he didn't deserve to be catered to like a franchise player usually is and I'm glad the Lakers didn't. As a result he took his ball and went home. He has a lot to learn about being the man, that's for sure.

Then stay and prove you can carry the franchise by leading the team while Kobe is out. That makes passing the torch that much easier. If you want to be the man TAKE IT.

I mean it sounds like the guy was afraid he'd never surpass Kobe and wanted the franchise handed to him like if Kobe remained on the team after this season that it'd still be KOBE'S team and Dwight didn't seem to want to try to TAKE it from him like Kobe took it from Shaq.

Edited by Majesty, July 10, 2013 - 09:48 PM.

"Bryant had come to rage against the idea that Howard's clownish disposition could overtake the locker room, the Lakers' culture, and had warned Howard that he would never, ever let it happen."

710 aired a clip of J Van Gundy yesterday saying that Dwit turned on his coaches (B Winters, SVG, D'Antoni) whenever they held him accountable.

Kareem also called him immature

Based on those 2 statements, I'd say he's just like Bynum: wants all the benefits of stardom (money, respect, etc) w/o putting in the hard work or accepting the responsibility of it.

At least Bynum wasn't intimidated by Kobe and acknowledged when he had work to do if he wanted to become the franchise of the Lakers going forward(admitting he currently was an "asset" to "THE GUY" as opposed to "the guy" himself)

But Dwight wanted to be "THE GUY" without taking it from Kobe.

Kobe took it from Shaq.
LeBron took it from Dwayne Wade

You are not a special snow flake Dwight.

"Bryant had come to rage against the idea that Howard's clownish disposition could overtake the locker room, the Lakers' culture, and had warned Howard that he would never, ever let it happen."

As an offshoot of those discussions, sources said, Howard's camp at one point asked the Lakers whether they were at least considering releasing Bryant through the league's amnesty provision, since Bryant's return date from Achilles tendon surgery remained in question.

Very interesting that Lakers were NOT going all lengths and giving in to his demands to re sign him. Didnt fire MDA or didnt amnesty Kobe like he wanted. In 2004 Lakers did everything Kobe wanted to have him re-signed

I wish these athletes would just man up and say why they didn't sign in LA.

This. Too many head games. At the end of the day, there will be some people that will not like you regardless. So why not just come out with the truth instead of burning additional bridges through the head games?

From a skill point of view, D12 is a franchise player who can lead a team deep.

From a mental point of view, D12 is a kid who has a lot of growing up to do.

The best players are the ones that possess mental toughness, not just physical toughness.

"I'm always a firm believer in us being able to make our own decisions." --Kobe Bryant